Abstract: A component of a process chamber is refurbished and cleaned to remove an intermetallic compound from the component. The component has a structure having a coating that includes a first metal layer over the intermetallic compound. To refurbish the component, the first metal layer is removed to form an exposed surface that at least partially includes the intermetallic compound. The exposed surface is bead blasted in a penetrative bead blasting step by propelling blasting beads having a bead diameter of less than about 180 micrometers with a gas that is pressurized to a pressure of less than about 310 kPa (45 psi), towards the exposed surface, thereby removing the intermetallic compound from the exposed surface of the structure to form a cleaned surface. A second metal layer is then formed over the cleaned surface.

Abstract: A composite plating layer contains carbon nanofibers. A composite plating solution contains a Watts bath composed mainly of nickel sulfate and nickel chloride, a brightening agent, a surface active agent and carbon nanofibers. Polyacrylic acid is used as the surface active agent.

Abstract: A porous monocomponent nonwoven web contains a bimodal mass fraction/fiber size mixture of intermingled continuous microfibers and larger size fibers of the same polymeric composition. There are at least five times as many microfibers as larger size fibers, and a histogram of the mass fraction of fibers vs. fiber size exhibits a larger size fiber mode greater than 10 ?m. The web may be made by flowing fiber-forming material through a die cavity having larger size orifices and at least five times as many smaller size orifices to form filaments, attenuating the filaments into fibers and collecting the attenuated fibers to form the nonwoven web. The web is especially well suited to the manufacture of self-supporting three dimensional articles such as molded cup-shaped respirators and pleated air filters.

Abstract: A corrosion-resistant lath is provided for use in exterior finishing systems, such as stucco systems and exterior insulation and finish systems (“EIFS”). The lath includes in a first embodiment an open, woven fabric comprising weft and warp yarns containing non-metallic fibers, such as glass fibers. A portion of the weft yarns are undulated, resulting in an increased thickness for the fabric. The fabric is coated with a polymeric resin for substantially binding the weft yarns in the undulated condition. This invention also includes methods for making an exterior finish system and building wall including an exterior finish system using such a lath.

Abstract: A microporous carbon material includes a porous carbon skeleton having an average pore size from 0.1 to 10 nanometers and being substantially free of pores greater than 1 micrometer. Methods of forming the microporous carbon material are also disclosed.

Abstract: A pressure gradient CVI/CVD process includes providing a furnace defining an outer volume. Porous structures and ring-like spacers are assembled in a stack with a ring-like spacer between each adjacent pair of porous structures. The stack of porous structures is disposed between a bottom plate and a top plate in the furnace, wherein the bottom plate, the stack of porous structures, and the ring-like spacers define an enclosed cavity. A channel provides fluid communication between the enclosed cavity and the outer volume. A gas composition is introduced into the enclosed cavity. A portion of the gas composition flows through the channel. A pressure gradient is maintained between the enclosed cavity and the outer volume. The gas composition in the outer volume is provided at a pressure of at least about 15 torr. The porous structures are densified.

Abstract: Readily-fibrillable fibers of PVA polymer, having good chemical resistance, hydrophilicity, weather resistance and water resistance have a flattened cross-sectional profile and have a mean thickness D (?m) that satisfies the following formula (1): 0.4?D?5??(1) wherein D=S/L; S indicates the cross-section area (?m2) of the fibers; and L indicates the length (?m) of the major side of the cross section of the fibers. The fibers can be used for making nonwoven fabrics.

Abstract: Membrane materials for fabric structures consisting of a woven fabric which is coated on one or both sides with an elastomeric compound comprising finely divided phase change materials such as crystalline alkyl hydrocarbons or salt hydrates. The membrane materials facilitate thermo-regulation due to latent heat absorption and latent heat release in the phase transition range of the phase change material, which enhances the thermal comfort of the enclosed structure, they are applied to and leads to energy savings.

Abstract: An integrally formed multi-component structure is disclosed, the multi-component structure comprising a plurality of components, at least one of which is a three-dimensional bonded fiber fluid transmissive component comprised of a plurality of polymeric fibers bonded to each other at spaced apart contact points, the fibers collectively defining tortuous fluid flow paths, and wherein each component has an interface with at least one other component.

Abstract: The invention provides a diamond coated tool having an excellent cutting performance, wear resistance, adhesion resistance and work surface roughness in combination and a method of producing such a tool. A diamond coated tool comprising a substrate and a diamond coating formed on the surface of the substrate, wherein said substrate is made of a cemented carbide or a cermet, diamond grains constituting a growth surface of said diamond coating has an average grain size of about 1.5 micrometers or below, said diamond coating has a thickness ranging from about 0.1 micrometer to 20 micrometers, and said diamond coating has an average surface roughness Ra ranging from about 0.01 micrometer to 0.2 micrometer. Such a diamond coated tool can be obtained by carburizing the substrate consisting of a cemented carbide or a cermet, and growing up a diamond coating thereon.

Abstract: A nonwoven fabric composed of ultra-fine continuous fibers having a mean fineness of not more than 0.5 dtex is prepared. The nonwoven fabric comprises a water-soluble thermoplastic resin in a proportion of not more than 5% by weight relative to the nonwoven fabric, has an absorbing height of not less than 30 mm as determined at 20° C. after 10 minutes based on Byreck method when the nonwoven fabric immersion-treated for 60 minutes in a water of 80° C. is used, and satisfies the following formula: (B)/(A)?0.25, wherein the symbol (B) represents a tensile strength [N/5 cm] in the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction of the nonwoven fabric and the symbol (A) represents a fabric weight [g/m] of the nonwoven fabric. In the nonwoven fabric, not less than 30% of the surface may be coated with the water-soluble thermoplastic resin. The water-soluble thermoplastic resin may be a water-soluble thermoplastic polyvinyl alcohol, e.g.

Abstract: A coated glass mat comprises a glass mat substrate having non-woven glass fibers and a coating which essentially uniformly penetrates the glass mat substrate to desired fractional thickness of the coated glass mat. The coating imparts a tensile strength to the coated glass mat which on average is at least 1.33 times greater than the tensile strength of the glass mat substrate without the coating. In example embodiments, penetration of the coating into the glass mat substrate preferably extends to a depth of from twenty five percent of a thickness of the coated glass mat to seventy five percent of the thickness of the coated glass mat. Moreover, a non-coated thickness of the coated glass mat is sufficiently thick for bonding purposes with, e.g., a gypsum slurry or other core materials such as thermoplastic or thermosetting plastics. The coating has a porosity in a range of from 1.3 CFM to 5.0 CFM, e.g.

Abstract: A composite material is described that contains a reinforcing resin and reinforcing fibers, wherein the reinforcing fibers have a coating containing polyphenylene sulfide and the proportion of polyphenylene sulfide relative to the uncoated fibers is 0.001 to <0.01 wt. %. The composite material shows higher apparent interlaminar shear strength and bending strength as compared with similar composite materials having no PPS coating in the above concentration range.

Abstract: The present invention is a composite laminated sheet material suitable for structures such as containment sumps. The laminated material comprises a fabric-backed thermoplastic layer upon which thermoset plastic is applied to the fabric side. The thermoplastic layer is formed by contacting a layer of fabric onto a layer of molten thermoplastic such that the liquid thermoplastic permeates a portion of the fabric layer to form a mechanical bond with the fabric layer when the thermoplastic layer cools and hardens. Thermoset plastic, such as fibreglass resin, is sprayed onto the fabric side of the thermoplastic layer to allow the liquid resin to permeate the fabric layer. Once the resin cures and hardens, the fabric layer is mechanically bonded to the cured thermoset plastic layer to effectively bond the thermoplastic layer to the thermoset plastic layer.

Abstract: A diesel soot particulate filter medium, as subject of the invention comprises fibers, preferably metal fibers. The diesel soot particulate filter medium has a thickness T between its inflow side and its outflow side being equal or more than 5 cm. The S/V at the inflow side is preferably more than 50 m2/m3 and the S/V at the outflow side is preferably less than 80000 m2/m3, whereas S/V increases stepwise or gradually from the inflow side to the outflow side. S is the sum of all mantle surface of the fibers present in a volume V.

Abstract: A fluid handling apparatus 10 has a plurality of fluid handling subassemblies 16 arrayed on a plate body 12. Each of the fluid handling subassemblies includes: an injecting section 26 for injecting a fluid; a fluidized section 28 for allowing the fluid to continuously flow downwards; a fluid housing chamber 30 for receiving the fluid from the fluidized section; a wall portion 20 formed between the fluid housing chamber and the fluidized section; slits 20b for allowing the fluid to enter the fluid housing chamber; and a surface-area increasing means 22 for increasing the area of a contact surface with the fluid in the fluidized section. The slits extend from a lower end positioned in the vicinity of the lower end of the fluidized section, to an upper end higher than the upper end of the fluidized section, for allowing the injecting section and fluidized section to be communicated with the fluid housing chamber.

Abstract: A fuel efficiency degradation amount displaying device detects a tire air pressure and calculates an amount of degradation of fuel efficiency of the vehicle compared to fuel efficiency in a case that the tire air pressure is appropriate. Then the fuel efficiency degradation amount displaying device indicates not only a warning of the decrease of the tire air pressure but also the amount of the fuel efficiency degradation. Therefore the driver can recognize the amount of the degradation clearly and intuitively. As a result, it is possible to prevent drivability of the vehicle from getting worse, because the driver can adjust, knowing a relation between the tire air pressure and the fuel efficiency, the tire air pressure to the appropriate tire air pressure.

Abstract: The present invention provides for improving image clarity through sub-pixel positioning of the image in a grid space based on pixel homogeneity scores. The pixel homogeneity scores indicating the uniformity of state for sub-pixels produced from an over-sampling of the pixels within the grid space. A representation of an image (or at least a portion thereof) is positioned at various sub-pixel locations with in the grid space, and pixel homogeneity scores are calculated for the various locations. Based on a comparison of the pixel homogeneity scores, a position to display the image is chosen such that image rendering is optimized or at least improved.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a system and method for clearing an external driving mirror on a vehicle. The system and method comprise providing a stream of compressed air to clear water, dirt, and/or other substances from the reflective surface of an external driving mirror. This system uses the air source of the vehicle in conjunction with a safety pressure protection valve. This pressure protection valve will shut down the mirror clearing system in the event that the vehicle's primary air system cannot provide a certain minimum amount of air pressure.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a short arc lamp comprises a lamp main body having a reflective surface therein, a first opening on an optical axis thereof, and a second openings, a window member provided so as to close the second opening and to define a discharge space between the lamp main body and the opening, a first electrode and a second electrode that are arranged so as to face each other, wherein a tip portion of each of the electrodes extends into the discharge space, and a base disposed approximately at a back end portion of the lamp main body, wherein a hole is formed in the base, the first electrode is held in a burying portion of the base, and a diameter of the first electrode in the burying portion is larger than that of the tip portion of the first electrode.